An Assassin's Downfall
by instertnomdeplumehere
Summary: Talon shuddered. What was this boy doing to him? Why could he not bring down his blade? What was he becoming? Ezreal x Talon pairing. Cover from asktalon (tumblr), NOT by me.
1. Prologue

A cold breeze tugged at Talon's hood as he stepped silently through the cobbled streets of Noxus. However, Talon was oblivious to the cold as his confident strides took him into dark, dirty back alleys. A small flutter of pride warmed his heart at a job well done, but Talon quickly ended that thought. Pride lead to carelessness, and carelessness was an assassin's greatest downfall. Talon would not let himself fall prey to such weakness.

He was almost there now, and the wind was biting into his shoulder and stinging his eyes. Finally he came to his arranged meeting point. He did not have to wait as his superior was already there.

"Talon," a voice emanated from the darkness.

"Swain," Talon managed a stiff salute, into no particular direction.

"I would congratulate you on your success, but I know you would not heed my words," the voice drawled.

"Sir," Talon replied, knowing now where the bird was due to the faint smell of burnt flesh drifting from his direction. Swain continued with a completely different, more business-like tone.

"Now, as to your next target." Talon nodded in agreement. "You may know him, as a champion of the League, but perhaps not by name. Therefore, I have taken the time to equip you with a suitable photograph." A slim envelope was passed quietly and subtly between the two. "I believe that is all Talon. You are dismissed."

"Sir," Talon once again managed a stiff salute. He turned back on his heel and walked back the way he had come. It was going to be a long walk back. He did not bother looking at the envelope.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Well thanks for reading my prologue, I hope you enjoyed it! My friends say my fiction is normally pretty good but I often find my openings are clichéd and generally awful. This is my first fiction, so constructive criticism is really appreciated! I am normally OK with spelling and grammar but if something slips past me when typing (I suck at typing) please don't hesitate to let me know. While on the subject of grammar, I find commas (and full stops etc) around speech marks slightly confusing at times so feel free to pull me up on that and correct me.

Once again (yes I realise this is dragging on), thanks for reading and I hope the story is at least decent!


	2. Chapter 1: Night-time Deeds

Chapter 1: Night-time Deeds

_Two days after the events of the prologue._

It was the dead of night, a perfect time for Talon to be sneaking around the darkened halls of the Institute. The humming of nexus concealed his light footsteps, and the wafting smell of burning coming from Morgana's café 'Sinful Succulence' told him he was on the right path. Finally he approached the door of his target. It was exactly the same as all the other champions' doors to their rooms, panelled oak with a brass latch. He hesitated for a moment, indecisive. For that moment of indecision he punished himself. Hesitation led to mistakes, and mistakes led to death. Anyway, he had no reason to hesitate. He knew he was in the right place, he had seen his target use this door countless times. With that steely thought, he opened the door and let himself into the room.

Despite his earlier sentiment, he still breathed a sigh of relief when he stepped into the room. He was right, this was the correct room. As he approached the bed and its sleeping occupant, Talon breathed a sigh of relief. Looks like this would be an easy job after all.


	3. Chapter 2: Wavering Blade

Chapter 2: Wavering Convictions

Talon moved over to his target, and, standing on the side of the bed facing his target's back, withdrew one of his many blades from his sheath. Unlike Katarina, he was not a sadist. His targets' deaths were painless and instantaneous. He pushed up his blade against the boy's neck, the cruel steel glinting and illuminating the very skin that it would soon cut through. However, Talon did not perform the fatal slice instantly. He had ages of time before him and he was certain he would not be discovered. Talon moved around the bed, removing the blade as he did, to get a look at his target, to see who he actually was. This was something an assassin probably should not do, Talon chided himself. He did it anyway. He noted it was another difference between him and Katarina. He stared into the boy's face, his blond locks and pale complexion. A sick little butterfly flustered in his stomach. What was he doing? Perhaps he ought to be more like Katarina. He could not repress those sick feelings, but he could end this boy's life once and for all. Once again, he laid his gleaming blade on the soft skin of the neck. He readied himself for the terrible squelch of knife cutting through flesh, and instructed himself to immediately perform the final, killing cut.

His arm would not obey him. He managed a little cut before his arm jerked upwards, flying and embedding itself in the ceiling with a loud clang. Talon hissed. What foul magic is this?

Beneath the sheets two terrified blue eyes plucked up the courage to steal a glance at what was going on.

* * *

**Author's Note (yes, again):**

This chapter gave me a lot of difficulties, even though it is relatively short. I had some difficulties due to my chose of third person to write the story in. However I am sticking to third person, namely for three reasons:

A) Talon was introduced to me as a character and I feel I will be better at writing him in the third person; using 'I' to describe him feels incorrect to me.

B) I will be switching from one character's viewpoint to another (you may see some of that soon), obviously impossible in first person.

C) (kinda trolly one here) I just prefer writing in third person.

But yeah I was having difficulties expressing Talon's thoughts. How am I supposed to do this? Italics? I don't want to have to put 'Talon thought' on the end of every single sentence. When I read this through I felt that my portrayal of Talon's thoughts (second half of the first paragraph) felt slightly detached and bare. Feedback (and advice) on thought would be appreciated, especially as I am a complete novice!


	4. Chapter 3: Under the Sheets

Chapter 3: Under the Sheets

A loud 'thunk' instantly awoke Ezreal from his dream. His first thought was annoyance, as the dream was a good one. Ezreal tried to grasp at the details, it was something about a magical find, something to do with his glove. This train of thought lasted for under a second before Ezreal's groggy mind wandered to what caused the offending noise. Open ending his tired eyes, he glimpsed a knife, firmly lodged in the ceiling. Panicking, he realised he could not see more without revealing he was awake. A pragmatic, yet terrifying thought crossed Ezreal's mind. He could not fight off any threat without his glove. He was not physically strong, but lithe. He was built to dodge blows, not trade them. It was with that thought that Ezreal decided to stay in the bed. His would-be assailant did not seen to be in good shape. His blade was lodged in re ceiling and he seemed to be panting heavily. Perhaps he could manipulate this to his advantage. Swallowing hard, he made a decision that could possible end his life. That possibility was swimming in his mind when he decided to take the plunge. He sat up and called into the gloom,

"Hello?"


	5. Chapter 4: Breaking Down

Chapter 4: Breaking Down

"Hello?"

The voiced arced through Talon like some sort of spasm. Having failed to assassinate his target, the target was now awake and ready to resist or call help. Furthermore, there was some sort of magic, or ward, protecting him. Instinct drove Talon to leap behind him, silencing his would-be cries for help. However, he was wary of drawing his second blade as what if the ward caused his strike to backfire, and plunge his knife into its owner's neck. He internally shuddered at the irony. He decided to wait. If the target decided to call for help, he could silence him and threaten him. He did not know why Talon's first attempt failed. Talon was wary however. He was a novice to bluffing, as before he had never had to.

* * *

Ezreal's voice seemed to echo for minutes until an awful sensation clasped at his throat. He could not speak, the words collected in his throat and were blocked by a violating presence. Panic welled up inside Ezreal, gripping his brain and burning his stomach. Its acid spread through him, numbing every nerve and freezing all his blood. He was going to die and he knew it. However, a sudden sure of defiance gripped him. If he was going to die, he would go out with a bang. His throat was finally clear. However his fiery resolve deteriorated when he saw his attacker. The assassin, whose face was obscured due to a heavy cowl, was poised and ready to strike. He broke. Pulling his knees into his chest, he quietly sank his head and began quietly sobbing. His wracked voice asked the only question he could think of.

"W-why are you trying to k-kill me?

* * *

Talon saw the boy break down. His first thought was to drop his weapon and comfort him, however this was immediately tempered by his better nature. What on earth was he doing? Comfort the boy? He was supposed to be killing him! However this ward, magic, whatever it was, was keeping him from doing that. Ugh. However a random impulse surged through Talon to answer the boy's question. However, this time it was to quick to be stopped.

"Why do you think? I've been ordered."

* * *

Ezreal was shocked to recover a reply. However overwhelming dejection consumed him and his quiet reply,

"W-why don't you j-just e-end it?" he sobbed, his voiced catching on the final 't'. Ezreal sank further into himself, waiting, apathetic, for his final breath.

* * *

Talon was severely annoyed by the boy's cocky denial of the magical protection he was under. Was he taunting him? This anger clouded his judgement which would have normally persuaded him to stop engaging with this target.

"You know full well why I can't." he hissed, straight into Ezreal's ear. Taken by surprise, Ezreal replied.

"I-I don't under...understand."

Talon was infuriated by the boy's continued denial and thus continued the dialogue.

"Don't play foolish with me. You are under the protection of some sort of ward that deflected my blade. If you were not, we would not be having this conversation. Why do you think there is a blade lodged in the ceiling?" Talon's 'angry' voice faltered slightly. He cursed himself silently. He made himself look like such an idiot.

Ezreal was unsure of what to say. As far as he knew he was under no protection of any kind. Taking his head from in between his knees, he looked up at Talon. Talon flinched, as the boy's blue eyes seemed to pierce his very soul. They had been at a standstill for what seemed like hours, but in reality it was only seconds. Then suddenly, a thought came to Ezreal, and he realised he would not die. Not tonight.

* * *

Ezreal inched closer to Talon, who was unnerved by this. he was acting very strangely for someone who was begging his death moment before. He looked square into Talon's eyes, and once again Talon felt them pierce right into his soul.

"There is no ward. I know what was stopping you from killing me. You are a decent person. You can't bring yourself to... to kill me." Talon stared at Ezreal, and incredulous look sweeping over his face.

"If so," a chuckle spreading across Talon's face, what's to stop me from killing you right now?" He was met with fiery resolve.

"Nothing, apart from your good nature." Ezreal's face was red and defiant. Talon chuckled to himself. Better nature? I am an assassin, he thought. Once again, he pressed his second blade against the boy's throat.

Ezreal tensed, waiting for the killing was waiting for the killer strike that would end his life. He was waiting for the killer strike that would never come. Talon's arm disobeyed him, once again jerking and sending the blade completely off behind Talon's shoulder. He shrieked. How could this boy be right? Why? Why!

* * *

Talon had been raging for quite some time before something inside him snapped, an the anger vanished. He knew Ezreal was right. Feelings, truths he had never before had surfaced and were all coming to a front. sobbing he also sank into his knees, just as Ezreal had done.

"I never was as good as K-Katarina." Talon inhaled sharply. "I could never assassinate people I didn't know or those who I had no reason to. Only the evil people who were abusing people or power or whatever. Only those who deserved it. I normally got away with it due to my position but now with Swain in charge..." He trailed off. "I am not a true Noxian. Not anymore. I know how it feels to be Riven..." He trailed off again. "I can't keeps this up any more, I can't. I'm so sorry."

"It's OK." The words surprised Talon. "I understand." The words also surprised Ezreal. He had no idea why he was comforting a broken assassin, but he felt it was a good thing, the right thing.

"Please, can you forget about me?" Talon began to move to the door, head hung, staring at the floor.

"No." The words echoed in Talon's mind, and he managed to look straight at Ezreal, in his eyes, before stealing into the night.


	6. Chapter 5: No Longer Neutral

Chapter 5: No Longer Neutral

Ezreal took a deep breath and stepped straight out of 'Neutral Ground'. He had marked on his map that Talon's door was down this corridor, the fourth door on the left. Yes, of course he had made a map, he thought to himself exasperatedly. He looked down at the map again, and proud of his handiwork, remembered the times that he had staking out every champion in order to see which door was theirs. He laughed at himself, how obsessive! Still, everyone needs a hobby, right? Fully aware of how loudly his footsteps were echoing down the large hall of the Noxian Wing, he steeled himself that the worst that could happen is an unpleasant state from an angry Cassiopeia. Then he remembered how deadly Cassiopeia's stares could be! Anyway no-one would dare attack him in the Institute, the repercussions would be too great. Anyway it's not like he was Demacian, or Garen. Ugh. He had heard the rumours. Regardless, he would not let Talon waltz out of his life. That odd assassin had piqued his curiosity. Ezreal realised he had arrived at the correct door, and without hesitation gave it a good rap.

The door was flung violently open after a short delay with a worried hiss emanating from within.

"What do you think you're doing here? Quick, get inside." Talon shot Ezreal a disapproving look, "I'm having a hard enough time lying to Swain about your assassination without you wandering down the corridor and waltzing into my room. What do you want?" he asked gruffly. Ezreal could understand why Talon was upset but was still offended. Seeing the look on his face, Talon responded, "I'm sorry to be like that, but if anything happened..." his voice trailing off. Ezreal, touched by his care, went one to disclose the real reason for his oh-so-dangerous visit.

"I may have located some important artefact up north in the Freljord and was wondering if you would like to come with me? It'll be quite cold though."

He was interrupted by Talon's (once again) worried voice.

"What if we were seen together? Do you realise how danger-" Talon was cut off by an expression forming on Ezreal's face, that seem to be saying 'Pfffft - Whatever' A sly grin broke out on Talon's face. "Sure, I'd love to." Ezreal beamed,

"OK meet me outside the main entrance in - hmmm let's say - half an hour? Oh wait, what about leave?" Ezreal turned to face Talon again as he stood in the doorway.

"Oh that's fine actually, I was already planning to take my holiday this week." Talon smiled again. "Coincidence, huh?" Ezreal nodded and then took his leave, giving Talon time to get ready. A devilish smile broadened across his face.

"Yeah. Coincidence."

* * *

**Author's Apology:**

Woah! I'm sorry for the ridiculously long wait for this, and I hope no-one has died in between this and the previous chapter, but deals of real life stuff got crazy and loads of stuff just fell by the wayside. Should be back on track now though :D


	7. Chapter 6: Bittersweet Victory

Chapter 6: Bittersweet Victory

It was a long trek through the icy north, but Talon relished it; it was a great chance to stretch his leg muscles and relax in thinking. He noticed Ezreal seemed to be taking it all in his stride; he did not even seem to feel the cold. Talon suddenly perked up as he heard sounds in the distance. He could not make out what it was; he had not heard the sound before. In the distance, a figure appeared, shrouded my mist and snow. As the dark shape came closer yells of… what seemed to be encouragement were heard to what seemed to be an oversized pig? The figure drew yet closer and suddenly came into sharp relief. There was a lady dressed in metal armour that covered her from head to toe, glistening in the cold, wielding a deadly ball and chain. She was not riding a pig but a black boar, whose tusks were disproportionately long in comparison to the rest of his body. The boar was also kitted in battle regalia. Swinging her weapon around her, she let out a cry.

"Who dares trespass on Queen Sejuani's land? Who are you?"

Before he could take in what was going on Ezreal shot back a quick retort.

"Well who are you?"

The mystery woman seemed to sit up straighter and with a regal composure replied.

"I am Frielka, second maiden to the Queen herself. If you want to continue, you must duel me, and win," Seeing the doubt in Ezreal's eye, she continued, "Fight, or make room for those who will." she uttered darkly. This time Talon got in the first word.

"Ok, you're on."

Frielka, noticing Ezreal's nerves, immediately turned and provoked her boar into charging at him. Ezreal immediately teleported away and began to barrage Frielka and her boar with arcane bolts. However, when he looked out for Talon he could not see him. Ezreal scanned his surroundings, trying not to panic. Talon suddenly came into view behind Frielka, and Ezreal noticed her moth was open but no words were coming out. Most of what Talon was doing was obscured from him, but Ezreal saw the ice underneath the boar turn red as it flailed and tried to run away. Talon threw out a set of sharp metal blades that embedded them lefts in the boar then reversed direction and flew back to him, landing neatly in his outstretched hand. The boar lost its balance and toppled over. After a minute, Frielka managed to extract herself from the panicking boar and waved her hand over it, causing a blue light to close up all the wounds she and her boar had sustained. Under her breath she muttered,

"Look's like Ashe's endless gifts of peace have some use.' Looking over to Talon, she spoke again. "Very well, you two may pass through her Royal Highness' land." Talon threw a glance over his shoulder at Ezreal, and motioned to continue walking ahead of his (as Ezreal knew where he was going). Ezreal jogged to catch u with Talon, their victory grant him renewed vigour.

"How did you do that trick with the glove? You threw some… things and they came back to you!"

Talon felt an old emotion emerge in him and with a wink of his eye replied

"You aren't the only one with a magic glove." All the colour drained out of Ezreal's face.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea…

* * *

**Author's note:**

Huzzah for quoting LoL characters! Might put more of them in :D


	8. Chapter 7: Death's Freezing Embrace

Chapter 7: Death's Freezing Embrace

Ezreal was terrified by the bloodlust in Talon's eyes. His own eyes were bloodshot and he could barely see through a thick layer of tears. Deep down he chides himself for working into a state but a more primal part of him deafened any reason. He had given Talon the perfect opportunity to kill him. How long would it take for others to notice his disappearance, and then to discover his body, preserved in time due to sheer cold? Ezreal made up his mind. He would run away suddenly and hope for the best. Maybe he would run into some Avarosans, then he would be safe. If worst came to worst he still had his map. In fact, an opportunity presented itself now (Talon was fiddling with a clasp on his bag) so Ezreal took it and ran. When Talon looked up he was merely a speck in the distance.

After a while, Ezreal began to slow down. He had been running flat out and there was no way Talon would catch up. He knew that somewhere westward he would find Ashe's clamp and slid his bag off his shoulder to reach for his map.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" The voice seemed to float inside Ezreal then suddenly chill him, freezing his breath and speeding up his heart. Thus, it seemed like an age before Ezreal looked up and identified the owner of the voice.

"H-hi Lissandra, I was wondering if you knew the way to Ashe's-" The words stumbled put of Ezreal clumsily but he was cut short before he finished.

"Ashe?" Lissandra smiled, although it seemed cruel rather than jolly. "Now why would you want to see Ashe?" She continued on before Ezreal could answer. "You won't be seeing Ashe. The Watchers are hungry and it's been, why", Lissandra giggles, "half an aeon since the last sacrifice! Oh look, there's your friend, the less-than-talkative Noxian. I could get a double? How nice." Ezreal turned to try and glimpse Talon and was immediately encased in a block of dark blue-black ice. Ezreal's pulse shot up and he knew now (now he had fallen for the oldest trick in the book) that he may not survive. Lissandra wasn't lying however, Talon did appear to be running towards him, and at an incredible pace. Suddenly however he has disappeared, and many throwing star styled knifes were suspended in a ring in midair. Talon again reappeared behind his target and all the blades converged on his location, ripping into Lissandra. She screamed words that could have been a cry or a spell but no sound was made. Talk threw some more blades out at her and which also flew back into Talon. Finally, he thrust his blade into her with an almighty grunt.

Lissandra was unable to carry on further. She was not bleeding, as blue ice covered her cuts, however she was visibly weakened. Trying to regain some composure, she spoke.

"I see. You may have won the battle, but I have already won the war." With that she pointed at Ezreal, and was gone.

The ice surrounding Ezreal melted away into nothing, however his lips and fingertips were blue and he did not seem to be conscious. He slumped immediately into Talon's torso. Talon wrapped his arms around Ezreal, trying to steady himself. Talon managed to hear something in Ezreal's jagged, slurred speech. Talon, was hurt and recoiled at the words, however Ezreal suddenly became still in Talon's outstretched arms.

"Don't kill me."


End file.
